Pride Before A Fall
by South.for.Winter
Summary: Regina's taken by the flying monkey during that first run-in after their arrival in the Enchanted Forest. Locked in the dungeons of the castle, she's close to giving up hope before she meets someone who needs her help, and it sets her on a new path. Or maybe, an old one... Post 3x12 AU with both Storybrooke and Enchanted Forest. Eventual Outlaw Queen and lots of little Roland.
1. Chapter 1

**I know I already have four stories going, but it's Regina and Robin. I couldn't help it. :) I promise I'm still working on ALL of them. Like the show, this will alternate between Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest. Let me know if you enjoy and want me to continue. **

Pride Before A Fall

Chapter 1

Regina pulled the coat tighter around herself as a reaction to both the cold and the vulnerable feeling of walking alone in public. News of her shaky alliance with the Charming family had spread through the town just as they'd planned it, and though it had not gone far in trapping their impossible enemy, it had done something for her reputation. She was still viewed as the Evil Queen by the townsfolk, however, and with everyone's memories of the last year gone, tempers were running high. Old habits die hard, and she avoided the public eye as much as possible.

Today she was feeling particularly exposed without her car, but she couldn't have it where she was going. It was about a twenty minute walk and though she was eager to have the whole ordeal over with, she found that the time had passed too quickly. She hesitated outside the entrance, wondering if she really wanted to go through with it, but she quickly realized it was no longer a choice. She'd avoided it long enough already and this was something she needed to do. Glancing around self-consciously, she took a breath and stepped through the doors. There was a flurry of activity inside of which she was extremely grateful; it meant no one spared her more than a passing glance. She imagined the raucous commotion had something to do with the flying monkey situation, but at that moment, the ugly beasts were the least of her worries.

Making her way through the halls, she sought only one person - not a person she was particularly anxious to talk to, but the only person who'd be able to answer her question.

It wasn't difficult to locate him. It seemed not everyone felt flying monkeys superseded the odd presence of the Queen, and of course, _he_ would be the one not to overlook it.

"Regina!" He spotted her before she'd found him, and she spun on her heel at the angry shout to see Dr. Whale storming toward her, his face already purpling with rage. "What are you doing here?" he snarled when he'd drawn closer. "I don't have time for this today. As I've already told the Charmings about twenty times in the last forty-eight hours, we don't know anything yet. We're running every possible test, but we don't know enough. I told them I'd let them know as soon as we'd found something. Did they think sending you would spur me into moving faster? Because I guarantee that it will only serve to upset me and cause further delay-"

"Relax!" Regina said, cutting off his rant. She was quickly growing irritated by the sound of his voice, and she already had very little patience for people that jumped to conclusions in regards to her and what she was doing. "I'm not here about that." She started to second-guess her choice once again.

He saw the flash of indecision in her eyes and it piqued his interest. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "Well, if you're not here about that, why are you here?" It was a well-known fact that Regina and Whale hated one another. It was what made her coming to him all the more suspicious.

"I need your...help...with something," she started, swallowing hard.

"And why come to me?" he asked with an irritated interest.

"Because," she hesitated, having a hard time getting the words out. "Despite our history, you're the only one I can trust."

His eyes narrowed further. "Regina – whatever project you're working on, I won't have any part of it. You can find someone else who's interested and who has time. And if you're so worried about people finding out, maybe you should think twice about doing it. You're already on thin ice with everyone. Secret side jobs are sure to draw attention and make you look even guiltier. Though, those of us who know you know that you're never to be trusted anyway."

Regina growled at his stubborn hatred and snatched his arm, pulling him roughly toward the wall and out of earshot from anyone passing by in the crowded hallway. "I'm the one who doesn't have time for this!" she hissed, ignoring his yells of protest. "Would you just shut up for a minute?" she asked, nearing desperation. He was drawing unwanted attention, and that was the very last thing she needed. "I don't have any side projects. Oh for god's sake!" she waved her hand, magically silencing the man and pinning his arms to his sides so that he couldn't continue to cause a scene. "What I need from you has nothing to do with the curse, or magic, or the Charmings," she told him, and she saw him stop trying to struggle. "Please?" she asked, sounding uncharacteristically sincere. "Just listen?"

Whale nodded and she hesitantly waved her hand once more, releasing him from her magic. She waited to be sure he really was prepared to listen before continuing.

"I need you to run some tests," she told him, throwing her hand up to stop his protests. "Because I think I may be pregnant."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

"Damn it!" Regina cursed, pacing her cell. She'd been stupid enough to allow herself to be captured, and now she was locked in her own dungeon. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," she chanted.

"Hello?"

She halted at the voice, turning to face the direction from which it had come. It had been the voice of a child; a very frightened child. Perhaps imprisonment was affecting her more than she'd realized. Or maybe the witch was playing mind games with her...

"Hello?" she echoed back quietly.

When she was met only with silence, she sighed, crossing her arms. Of course of all the voices to be hearing, she was hearing that of a child. Maybe it was just a manifestation of missing Henry so horribly.

"Did the witch take you, too?"

She jumped slightly, not expecting to hear it again.

"Who are you?" Regina asked, still convinced that this was some sort of trick. For all the threats her wicked newfound half-sister had made, perhaps there had been a grain of truth. Was it possible that she had somehow learned of Regina's lost son? She didn't know how she would have any knowledge of the other world, but more unlikely things had happened, and Regina had to admit, using Henry against her would be an effective way to break her. What else was there to take from a person who'd already lost everything but their sanity? The horrible green woman would probably draw satisfaction from watching Regina slowly lose her mind.

"I'm Woland," the little voice said. "Who awe you?"

"Roland?" she questioned at the slight lisp of the young voice. She heard a giggle in response.

"No, silly. That's my name."

Regina couldn't help but smile. "I'm Regina."

"Did a monkey take you away? One flied in the aiw and taked me, and it was too high fo Papa to help. Then the gween lady says I has to stay hew so Daddy will come and get me because he's twouble. She says I'm the...the..." he struggled, trying to remember the word.

"The bait?" Regina asked, starting to believe that perhaps this was a real child after all.

"Yeah! The bait!" he replied, sounding proud that he could repeat her words. "What does it mean?"

Regina sighed, putting a hand to her temple. "It means we need to figure out a way out of here."


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! I love you guys! Over 50 follows already? :) Thank you! It looks like I should have a little extra writing time this weekend, so hopefully I can get a chapter out for each of my stories. Hope you enjoy this next installment. **

Pride Before A Fall

Chapter 2

Whale stood blinking at Regina. "What?!"

Regina glanced around to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. "You heard me," she said irritably. "I think I'm pregnant."

Whale shook his head at her as if it would allow her words to make sense to him. "Wha…how…" he started, but words were failing him. "I don't understand."

"I'm not repeating it again," she told him sharply. "It's not like I'm speaking another language."

"No, but it's you."

"And?" She gave him her best patronizing glare. "Last I checked, I'm human."

Whale tilted his head. "Well—" he started, but stopped when he saw the murderous expression on her face. "We've only been here for the past few days," he said instead, deciding a more serious direction was probably warranted. "Aside from that, no one remembers anything for the last year, so what makes you suspect?"

She lifted a hand to her head to rub at her temple, and he took the opportunity to study her. She looked exhausted and, startling him a bit…frightened. On the surface, she appeared her stone-faced, in control self, but he'd known her for much longer than most. He could see through the cracks in her armor, and he could see what was just underneath the surface; terror.

"I don't know," she told him. "It's just…this feeling I've had for the last week or so. My magic feels different, and I just…I feel like that's what it is."

He narrowed his eyes suddenly. "You don't remember anything, do you?" he asked suspiciously. "Because if you do and you're not telling anyone—"

"I don't," she snapped. "I don't remember anything more than the rest of you." When he continued to look suspicious, she sighed. "Do you really think I'd come to you for help if I remembered?" she asked him.

That made him pause. "No, I suppose not. But why come to me at all? This is something you could do at home."

"Not without word getting all over town. I don't need anyone gossiping when I don't even know the truth. I'd prefer to keep it to myself. I came to you because I'm counting on your discretion."

When he continued staring at her silently, her mask slipped slightly, showing some of the fear underneath, and he buckled.

"Fine," he relented. "This way," he told her, pointing toward one of the rooms down the hallway.

"How long will it take?" she asked, following behind him. "Before you know, I mean."

"I don't know. Normally I could tell you pretty quickly, but with everything going on…" he pushed the door open, stepping inside and holding it open for her. When he caught sight of her expression, he once again caved, taking pity on her. Cursing himself for caring at all, he sighed. "I'll have the results for you by the end of the day."

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Three days. Three days of hunger, of being locked up, and of having absolutely nothing to do. The witch had made no appearances, sent no word or demands. Regina was starting to wonder if her only plan for torturing her was to keep her locked up. If it were, she'd be even more pathetic than Regina had originally imagined. What a disappointment. Regina had always wished for siblings as a child, a wish she now regretted. She hoped that it was somehow all a big lie. Some kind of twisted tale spun up by the horrible green woman to create some sort of connection between Regina and herself. The woman was obviously obsessed; going through her things, wearing her clothes, living in her castle – she was some sort of crazed stalker.

But then there was Roland, the sweet little boy whose face she'd never seen. The walls between their cells prevented any form of contact other than talking, so she'd come to live for their conversations. In the back of her mind, she still wondered if he was a trick, dreamed up to torture her, but at this point, she didn't really care. The little boy was obviously terrified, and she couldn't bear the thought that he might be real and she'd ignored him. So they talked. He told her about living in the Enchanted Forest, his toys, and his father. He talked of his father's friends and what they'd done since the curse.

At night when he grew more frightened, she'd tell him stories until he fell asleep. Sometimes in the night, he'd wake up crying, and she'd hum softly, calming him down. During the day, however, Regina mostly listened. She loved hearing the sound of a child's voice once again, and she never grew tired of his excited rambling. It was on the third day that he mentioned her.

"And Papa said that the scawy clouds were magic. He thinks the Evil Queen is back. He wantsted to stop her, but I wasn't allowed to come. And then monkeys taked me," he said sadly. "Do you think she's back Gina?" he asked. It was the nickname he'd given her when he'd had too much trouble pronouncing her full name.

Her heart clenched. She didn't want to scare him anymore than he already was. And more, she didn't want him to be scared of _her_. Her voice was almost too quiet to be heard when she said, "I don't know."

Roland didn't seem to notice her hesitation or the change in her voice, because he continued on unperturbed. "I sawed her once when I was with Papa. I wan in front and gotst in twuble again, but I sawed the queen. She was pwetty, but she looked mad. Daddy was mad, too. He said I was lucky she didn't saw me back."

Regina slumped against the wall sadly.

"Gina?"

She cleared her throat to rid it of the lump that had formed and wiped the tear from her face before answering, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "Yes, Roland?"

"Tell me a story?" he asked.

"Alright." She sunk the rest of the way to the floor, drawing her knees up in an attempt to get comfortable. "Once upon a time…"

* * *

Regina blinked her eyes open slowly, feeling like something had woken her. She had no idea what time of day it was; with no windows, she'd lost track early on. Judging by how tired she still felt, she hadn't been sleeping long. She sat up carefully and caught sight of the small boy standing in the doorway of her cell; the very _open_ doorway.

"Gina?" he asked.

She saw the fear in his expression and could hear the waver in his voice.

"Roland?"

He nodded his little head at the sound of her voice and took a timid step toward her. "They opened the dohs," he whispered.

Regina pushed herself to her feet quickly, and Roland jumped back. She cringed; she hadn't meant to frighten him. "How long ago?" she asked softly, trying not to scare him further.

"I don't know. But thehs nobody but us."

Moving more slowly this time, she approached the opening, Roland stepping back as she passed him. She poked her head out into the main caves of the dungeon to see that Roland had been right; there was no one else in sight. It made no sense for the witch to have kept her locked up for days only to open the doors to the cell and let her walk free. It couldn't be a mistake, so it had to be a trap. Still, she wasn't going to waste this opportunity. She stepped the rest of the way into the open cavern, waiting to see if anyone appeared and stopped her.

No one did.

Curious to see if her magic would work now that she was free of the cell, she flexed her hand. A small white orb sparked over her palm and she heard Roland gasp at the sight. She pushed the light up into the air above them, illuminating the walls around them and turned to look at the boy behind her. The light from the orb reflected in his big eyes as he stared at it in wonder.

"Would you like to get out of here?" she wondered, bending down slowly to meet him at his level.

He blinked, looking away from the magical light to meet her eyes, and nodded. "How come you lied?" he asked.

"When did I lie?"

"Yo the Evil Queen," he told her, sounding hurt.

"I didn't want you to be afraid."

"Aw you going to huwt me?" He leaned back a little to look at her face.

Her brow creased at the troubled feeling the question gave her. "No," she told him sincerely, shaking her head. Her expression softened. "I promise I won't hurt you."

"Okay," he said simply.

She stood up once more and was surprised when Roland slipped his hand into hers.

They started walking in silence, the orb lighting their path as they made their way out of the dungeons.


	3. Chapter 3

**I've had the first 3/4 of this done since the day after I published the last chapter, but I just couldn't get around to writing the rest of it and editing until now, hahaha. Ahhh, muse, you fickle little fiend. Hope you guys enjoy, and thank you for all the support on this story!**

Pride Before A Fall

Chapter 2

She'd only been home for an hour, but it felt like five. She'd been pacing around the main floor, wearing down the soles of her shoes and trying to distract herself from the onslaught of thoughts that were scrambling through her brain. Her nerves were keeping her from any productive lines of thought, because really, there were a million things she could be doing; trying to figure out which of the citizens was the infamous wicked witch, finding a way to break the curse, trying to bring back Henry's memories...but she knew she had no hope of concentrating enough to even begin working through any of them.

She refused to believe one hundred percent until Whale called to confirm it, but deep down, she knew the truth. Magic felt strange; unstable. Unlike before – back when the first curse had broken – it wasn't the magic that felt unstable, it was her. Controlling it took more energy and the path it took as it channeled through her body felt different.

Her pacing stopped abruptly. It only allowed her more time to worry, and she couldn't stand the thought of not getting anything done. Looking around the large empty house, she gave a sharp nod to herself, deciding what to do. She'd had no chance to clean in the last week, and while nothing was really out of place, surfaces were beginning to gather a layer of dust, and she hadn't cleaned out the fridge. Now that she had no Henry to occupy her off-hours, the time seemed to stretch on, making her feel even lonelier. The current circumstances weren't helping any.

Grabbing her cleaning supplies, she set to work. As she dusted, she wondered what it would be like to have another child. And what would Henry think once he'd regained his memories – _i__f_ he regained his memories? She pushed down harder on the cloth she was using to wipe the mirrors. Thoughts like that were dangerous, and she couldn't dwell on them if she had any hope of continuing on; they were too painful.

Once she'd finished with all of the tables, mirrors, and the bathrooms, she moved into the kitchen, piling all of the food from her fridge onto the counters. It was as she'd set to work scrubbing the shelves and the insides of the drawers that the biggest questions started running through her mind.

_If_ she was pregnant (and she was so sure that she was, though her terror begged for it not to be true) but _if_, then who was the father? There were so many questions around all of it; who would willingly bed the Evil Queen? (and she prayed that it had been willing on both parts). Why wouldn't she have used protection? She'd been sure that having children was nearly impossible for her, but that had never stopped her from taking precautions. And how _was_ it possible? Where had all of them been the last year? It would appear Storybrooke, but she'd been enacting the curse to send them back to the Enchanted Forest, and now there were people from the Enchanted Forest in Storybrooke who had never been there before. Was the father one of them, or was it someone who had spent the twenty-eight years previous with the rest of them in Maine? Had she continued on her path to redemption, and whoever it was had seen the good in her, or had she reverted to her old ways and it was the power of seduction and magic that had drawn them in? She felt as if she'd continued to try - for Henry - but then, the last thing she remembered was the selfless act of giving her memories to Emma and Henry so they could have a better life together. For all she knew, the pain of losing him forever had driven her over the edge. This man...had she loved him? Had he loved her? Had they known of her pregnancy before the curse was cast? Was he happy? Would he have stayed? Would they have been a family? Those questions made her laugh darkly to herself. Of course they wouldn't have been. Daniel had asked her to love again, but she wasn't sure she was capable of it anymore. She'd loved Henry, and now he didn't even remember her.

The sound of the doorbell ripped her out of her thoughts and she jumped. Throwing down her cloth, she scoffed at herself for allowing such daydreams. She may not remember the last year, but those last words of Rumplestiltskin still echoed in her head; villains didn't get happy endings.

She peeked through the peephole, wondering if Whale had decided to give her the news in person rather than over the phone, but Whale was not the one standing awkwardly outside her door, bouncing on his heels and twisting his hands together. Her heart leapt into her throat and she took a few shaky breaths before finally opening the door.

"Henry? What are you doing here? Where's Em…your mother?" She tried to keep her voice level, but she was having difficulty. The shock of seeing him standing right in front of her had thrown her completely off balance. She held back the grimace at the way he looked at her; as one would a friendly acquaintance.

Henry simply shrugged. "Mom's off working on the case somewhere, so I've been stuck at Granny's all day. I mean, not that that's a bad thing," he hurried on, realizing how whiny it had sounded. "I like Granny's, and I like the town, it's just…I don't really have much to do. I already beat the video game I brought with me." He shifted his feet a bit, feeling uncomfortable and hyper-aware of the fact that he was rambling. "I just…I mean, I had fun the other day – when you were showing me around – and I thought maybe...maybe I could hang out with you for a while?" When she looked at him in surprise, he blushed, looking down at the ground. "I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I know you're the mayor, so you're probably too busy, and—"

"Henry," she said, cutting him off. When he looked up at her, she gave him a smile. "I'd love to have you over. I'm not busy. Would you like to come in?"

A slow smile spread across his face, and her heart sped up at the thought that he genuinely wanted to spend time with her. "Are you sure? You're really not too busy?"

She shook her head, stepping aside. "Not at all."

He moved slowly, looking all around the inside of the house as he stepped inside. "You have a really nice home," he said, admiring how spacious it was. "This place is way bigger than our apartment in New York. Do you live here by yourself?"

She swallowed heavily and her voice cracked a bit when she answered. "Yes."

He looked up at her, noticing that she was upset. Feeling uncomfortable and not knowing what to say, he simply repeated, "Well, it's really nice."

"Thank you," she said quietly. Clearing her throat, she attempted another smile. "Are you hungry?"

"Um, yeah, actually. Mom left me a little money, but I haven't eaten since breakfast."

Regina looked at him in surprise. "A growing boy like you? You must be starving!"

He cracked a smile. "Yeah, sort of."

"I'll make you something to eat."

He followed her through the dining room, and her eyes widened when they fell on a picture of the two of them sitting on a side table. Fortunately, Henry's attention was elsewhere, and she snatched up the frame, holding it against her chest as she continued into the kitchen.

"Umm..." Henry caught sight of the mound of food on the counter and Regina used the distraction to shove the picture into one of the lower cabinets.

"I apologize," she said, standing upright again. "I'd forgotten I was in the middle of cleaning the fridge."

Henry laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen my mom clean out our fridge – and it could use it." He picked up a head of lettuce, still in the produce bag, and started tossing it lightly in his hand. "Want some help? I mean...since you're making me lunch and all..."

"That's very kind of you," Regina said, smiling. "Thank you, I'd appreciate it."

With him handing her items as she asked for them, it didn't take more than ten minutes to put everything away. He settled onto a stool as she started gathering all the supplies to make him a sandwich.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Regina was still waiting for someone to appear – even the witch herself – but so far, nothing, and they were nearly free of the grounds. They'd made their way through the dungeons, her mother's crypt, and now they'd reached the underground tunnels that would lead them to freedom. At least, what appeared to be freedom, but what she was sure was a set-up.

Roland's hand gripped hers tighter as they entered the tunnels. Yes, the rest of the journey had been dark and scary for a child, both of them ready to be caught at any second, but there was something about tunnels that were just more frightening.

As soon as sharp metal spikes came into view, Regina halted them, bending down to Roland's level and turning him to face her. "This next part of the walk is very dangerous. Would it be alright if I carried you past it?"

In answer, Roland simply nodded his head.

She stood back up and he immediately raised his arms to her. She swung him up onto her hip with little difficulty. "We'll be out of here soon."

"And then we find Papa?"

Regina nodded. "Yes. Then we look for your papa. And we'll keep an eye out for my people as well."

Roland clung to her neck, eyeing the walls with fear as Regina navigated the stone trap she'd laid out years before to keep intruders out. She held her breath as she stepped carefully between the tiles, adjusting her movements carefully to compensate for balancing Roland on her side. When they'd finally passed the dangerous points, she slowed again. "You'll be safe walking again," she told him, but his grip on her tightened.

"Can I stay? I'm sleepy."

She smiled warmly at him, secretly grateful for the excuse to keep holding him. "Of course." He rested his head against her shoulder as she started forward again, warily watching the tunnel behind, waiting for someone to come chasing after them. His eyes were growing heavy, however, and Regina could feel him begin to relax as he became more and more tired.

They finally reached the end of the passageway and she raised a hand, removing the large boulder from over the top of the opening. Once it was gone, she readjusted her grip on Roland and made her way up the stairs and into the frigid and crisp night air. Before doing anything else, she magicked a large fur blanket which she draped over the small child. She then replaced the boulder and headed into the forest, one arm free to use magic should she need it to protect them from anything.

It didn't take long for Roland to fall asleep in the comfort of the warm blanket and Regina found herself growing exhausted more quickly, both from carrying a sleeping child and because she hadn't slept for more than a few hours herself. Still, she pressed on, not wanting to be anywhere near the castle when they stopped.

She couldn't be sure, but it felt as if several hours had gone by when she finally decided she needed to stop. Looking around, the area seemed as good a place as any. She waved a hand and a small tent appeared amidst the brush, draining most of the energy she had left. Moving inside, she laid Roland carefully on the small cot and settled the blanket around him. There was still one thing she needed to do. Closing her eyes, she raised both her arms and concentrated. She could feel the shield spell as it stretched out from her fingertips and formed a bubble around them. It would keep anyone passing by – on foot or in the air – from noticing them. Only those able to detect magic would know there was anyone there.

Regina opened her eyes slowly, already feeling extremely dizzy. Magic required energy, and she'd already used too much. She lowered herself to sit on the cot, trying to catch her breath. After a few minutes, she lifted the blanket enough to slide in next to Roland, not even able to manage the simple task of changing into something other than the large and elaborate dress she wore.

She felt sleep coming quickly, and her last thought before it overtook her was of what her witch sister had planned for them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Huge thank yous to all of you wonderful people who've followed, favorited, reviewed, or simply continued to read. It's because of you that I keep going. With the knowledge that my inevitable grammar and spelling mistakes will be corrected when I wake up, I'll leave this for you as I crawl off to bed just in time for the sunrise. Maybe I can even manage another chapter later before work. **

**Reviews are welcomed. :)**

Pride Before A Fall

Chapter 4

Henry had been a wonderful distraction. They'd spent an hour in the kitchen, Regina happily listening as her son talked about his life in New York; his friends, his school, his teachers. It hurt to think about all of the things she was missing out on, but having him in front of her, sharing everything and looking genuinely happy, helped to ease that pain.

When the sound of her cellphone ringing pierced the air, Regina startled, drawing Henry's attention. She swallowed hard before reaching for it where it sat on the counter, dreading the call she'd been expecting all afternoon. "Oh," she breathed in relief when she saw the caller id; Emma. "Hello?"

"Is Henry with you?" She sounded out of breath, and Regina immediately recognized the panic lacing her voice.

"He's here, he's fine," Regina immediately assured her. "Didn't you get my text?"

Henry looked up, frowning.

"No, I just…I was out of service range for a while and when I got back and Henry wasn't here…"

Regina heard her take a deep breath and let it all out at once.

"Why didn't you let anyone know you were planning on picking him up today?"

Regina crossed an arm over her waist defensively at the accusation in Emma's voice and stood up straighter, though Emma couldn't see her. "I didn't. He came here on his own." She glanced up to see Henry watching her intensely. "Would you like to speak with him?"

Emma sighed. "Yeah. I'm sorry – I didn't mean…I'm sorry."

Relaxing a bit, Regina waited a beat. "It's alright, I understand. Here he is." Holding the phone out over the counter, she looked at Henry, nodding at the phone. "It's your mother."

"Yeah, I figured," he said, taking it from her. "Hey, mom," he started sheepishly.

Regina couldn't hear the words, but she heard Emma's voice coming clearly from the phone, and she watched as Henry cringed.

"Yeah, I'm sorry…No, I know what you said, but…but, mom…mom…I tried, but your phone was—" He slumped his shoulders, leaning against the counter. "I didn't hear it ringing, I'm sorry." He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll see you in a little bit." He held the phone back out to Regina. "She wants to talk to you again."

"Emma?"

"Hey. Can you bring him back to Granny's? I have some things I want to talk to you about – things I found today that might be a lead on this whole Wicked Witch thing."

"I'm actually a little busy…" Regina trailed off, thinking of the phone call she was still expecting.

"Too busy to make sure Henry gets back here safely?" Emma asked incredulously.

"No, no, of course not. I can drop him off, I'm just not sure if I'll have time to…" she looked up at Henry. "To chat."

"Regina, we're talking about the woman who cursed all of you – the one who wiped an entire year of memories away. What's more important than that right now?"

She closed her eyes, sighing heavily, trying to shake the heavy weight that seemed to be pressing down on her all of the sudden. "I'll be there in ten minutes." She ended the call and set her phone down on the counter with a little more force than she'd intended.

"You and my mom don't get along very well, do you?"

"What?" Regina looked up, feigning ignorance.

"You know what I'm talking about," Henry said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, she says you guys are old friends, but half the time she gets this really annoyed voice when she's talking to you. You don't really seem to like her much, either."

Regina chuckled in amusement. "Ms. Swan and I have very little in common, it's true, but we also have some very big things in common – things that allow us to work together." Raising her eyebrows playfully, she added, "Against all odds." She pushed off the counter, scooping up her cell phone. "Now grab your coat and let's go. We don't want to be late."

Henry slid off the stool, following her. "What is it about this town?"

"What do you mean?"

"My mom says that we're here for her job, but this isn't like any job she's ever worked before. She's acting differently, and it's still really weird that she knows everyone here. She never mentioned Storybrooke before now, but it's super obvious that she spent a lot of time here at some point, and I get the feeling that people are staring at me sometimes, like they know who I am, too. But that's not possible, because my mom and I lived in Boston before we moved to New York. Whenever I talk to anyone, it always seems like they're holding something back, and I just want to know what's going on. Mom let me do more on my own in New York than she does here, which makes no sense. This is a small town, it's not like anything is going to happen, so I _know_ there's something else going on." He looked over to Regina as she pulled the front door open, wanting some kind of explanation.

Henry had always been smart, and once he had an idea in his mind about something, he was relentless. He'd never been able to let things drop, and Regina wondered why they thought this time would be any different. It had only been a matter of time before his innate curiosity won out, and she knew they wouldn't be able to keep the truth from him much longer. It all would have been so much easier had she been able to recreate the memory potion. Without it, she wasn't sure if the answers to his questions would bring back his memories or only serve to confuse him further.

She hated lying to him; especially after everything they'd been through and after she'd promised him she wouldn't lie anymore. But he wasn't the Henry she'd made that promise to, and it wasn't her truth to tell. If the truth didn't come from Emma, or at least from the both of them together, there was even less of a chance that Henry would believe, and she didn't want to frighten him. Instead, she told him the only honest thing she could. "Henry, your mother only wants to keep you safe." Of course, he didn't know she meant herself, not just Emma.

"But what is she trying to keep me safe _from_?" Henry tried. "What in Storybrooke could possibly be that dangerous?"

Regina shook her head as she started the car and backed out of the driveway. "You're going to have to ask Emma. But not today. Today, she and I have other things we need to discuss."

"And I'm going to be stuck in the room staring at the wall again, aren't I?" he asked dejectedly. "It feels like ever since we got here, everyone is trying to hide me away."

Regina glanced over at him as he gazed out the window, watching the houses they passed with his chin propped on his hand. She hesitated briefly, but the need to comfort him won out and she moved her hand to rest on his shoulder. "It's not that. They just want to—"

"To keep me safe…yeah, I know," he sighed, and she dropped her hand. He looked over at her. "Thanks for letting me hang out with you today. You're the first person here who hasn't acted like they're keeping some huge secret. Everybody else walks on eggshells around me."

Well that was laughable, Regina thought, seeing as she felt exactly the opposite. Just that brief contact of touching Henry's arm had nearly broken her. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted her son back, but she bit her tongue; she was keeping the biggest secret of them all. "I enjoyed the company," she told him instead.

"Maybe…if my mom's okay with it, we could do it again? It's way more fun than hanging out at the inn all day. Or being pawned off on random strangers."

She smiled at the fact that he no longer considered her a random stranger. "I'd love that. I'll talk to your mom about it. Perhaps next time I can take you into the office with me…show you what it's like being Mayor for a day."

Henry grinned. "Yeah. That would be cool."

Regina parked across from the diner just in time for her phone to start ringing again. When she glanced at the screen and saw the hospital id, her heart leapt into her throat and she sucked in a breath.

"Hey, are you okay?" Henry asked, seeing her noticeably pale.

"Yes…yes. I'll be fine. Why don't you go in and tell your mother I'll be along shortly."

"Okay."

She watched him cross the road and waited until she saw him safely enter the diner before she answered the call and pressed the phone against her ear with a shaking hand.

"Regina?"

She cleared her throat, realizing she hadn't said anything. "Uh…yes?" She cleared it again to try and smooth the tremors from her voice. "What did you find out?"

"The tests were positive," he told her, wasting no time in getting to the point. "You're pregnant." There was a weighted silence before he continued. "If you can find time in the next few days, you should come back in so that we can discuss everything."

Regina nodded mutely before realizing that he couldn't see her. "Fine. I'll make time."

"Good."

"Thank you." Regina quickly hung up and dropped her phone into her purse. She fumbled with the door handle for a second before the fresh, cold air hit her and she breathed it in desperately. No matter how much she took in, it didn't seem like enough. She paused outside the door of the diner to lean against the wall, suddenly feeling the world spin. She desperately tried to regain control, breathing deeply and squeezing her eyes shut, but she could feel her legs giving up under her weight. The panic overwhelmed her and she collapsed, losing consciousness as she hit the ground.

* * *

Stretching slowly, Regina felt the small arm that was wrapped loosely around her waist. She shifted slightly, opening her eyes to place her surroundings. As sleep faded, she remembered the late-night escape and the long journey that had left her completely exhausted and drained of magic. Roland, completely undisturbed by her movement, slept on, his little body nestled against hers. She smiled softly before the peace of the moment was shattered by the sound of twigs snapping nearby. She sat up abruptly, body going rigid, and this time, Roland's eyes snapped open. He sensed the danger and his eyes widened in fear. Looking up at her, he opened his mouth to say something and she shook her head, lifting a finger to her lips. He sat up next to her, pressing into her side once more and wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Are they going to find us?" he whispered.

She moved him around so that he was sitting in her lap, legs wrapped around her waist, his head pressed against her chest in fear, and she held him tightly to her, ready to jump into action if necessary. "No one can see us, but we must be very, very quiet," she breathed into his ear, and she felt him nod against her.

Voices; men's voices. There were several of them, though they were still too far off to hear anything that was being said. It was evident from their footfalls and conversation that they were not aware they'd stumbled upon anything unusual. She prayed she was also correct in assuming it meant they were not a searching party.

The two of them sat in paralyzed silence, clutching to one another and listening as the noises grew louder. By the sound of it, the tent was not in the direct path of the group, and Regina thanked the stars above that she'd had the sense in her tired state to keep them out of the way of any easy traveling paths.

After what felt like several minutes, the voices filtered into words that could only just be made out from their distance.

"…not playing right into her hands? Do you not think it was her plan?"

Roland lifted his head from her chest as they listened.

"I agree fully with you, but Marcus is also correct. We must approach with caution and a well-thought plan."

With no warning, Roland jerked out of her grasp, tripping in his hurry to get outside.

"Roland!" she hissed in terror, jumping up after him.

"I will not allow her to keep my son while we—"

All conversation came to an abrupt end as Roland raced out into the trees, seeming to pop into existence out of thin air. Not far behind, Regina appeared, quickly staggering to a halt as several arrows were nocked and leveled directly at her. Normally she would laugh at the flimsy wooden weapons as she snapped them in half with an easy wave of her hand, but she was still weak from the night before and wasn't sure she'd be able to defend herself against them.

"Papa!" Roland shouted, not slowing until he was leaping into his father's arms.

Robin had to take a few steps back to keep from falling, barely catching his balance as his son was suddenly in his arms. He stood in shock, not understanding where Roland had come from, but not hesitating to wrap his arms around his boy. That's when his eyes fell on the danger that his men had already seen.

The Evil Queen.

She stood not thirty feet from them, seeming to be momentarily frozen. It only took a moment, however, for her to draw herself up, moving her hands to her hips. She remained deathly silent, and he knew his men had not yet released their arrows for fear of the magic she'd surely use against them. That she had not yet done so was a miracle.

Regina for her part, worked to get her breathing and racing heart under control. If these men detected any fear from her, they might realize she lacked her normal defenses, and then she'd really be in trouble.

They remained staring at one another, Regina trying to maintain her confident posture, and it was Robin who finally stepped forward. "You don't have magic," he correctly deduced, catching the flicker of fear in her eyes, even from that distance.

Not needing anything more, a few of the men rushed forward, catching the queen before she could run very far and quickly binding her hands behind her back. "It's time to answer a few questions, _Your Majesty_," one of them spat, giving the rope an extra tug, and she cried out as it tightened painfully.

"Enough," Robin called, moving closer, Roland still wrapped in his arms. "It was _my_ boy she was after. _I'll_ be the one to ask the questions."

Regina raised her head, locking eyes with him as he stepped up to her. The cold fury was evident in them, and she swallowed, knowing that her years of being the Evil Queen had finally caught up with her.


	5. Chapter 5

**I am flailing over the number of follows and reviews coming in for this story. Gobsmacked. You're all amazing! I apologize profusely for my month-long absence and assure you that I've been properly suffering for it. My schedule has been all over the map, and every free second I sit down to write, I end up waking from an impromptu nap with keyboard impressions on my face and a very long stream of letters on the page. **

**On a separate note, one of my best friends mistakenly but hilariously referred to this story as 'Pride Against A Wall', which immediately sent my mind into the gutter and caused rather amusing daydreams about spin-off stories of the "Rated M" persuasion that could be written. **

**We won't even speak of the finale. The drama has me all jittery.**

**With that said, here's a longer chapter to start you off on this torturous hiatus. I'll be off in the corner, drinking my wine and reading fanfiction. Your feedback, as always, would be a welcome distraction.**

Pride Before A Fall

Chapter 5

She could hear a humming noise, but nothing made sense. The world seemed bright; searing white light all around her, and she couldn't make sense of any of it. There seemed to be no source for the noise that was growing louder. It felt rather like swimming, but there wasn't any water, and she had no idea where she was. Slowly, the sharp humming turned into a voice, and she realized that someone was saying something…or asking a question? She couldn't be sure; it still wasn't making any sense. Then she felt a soft pressure against her throat, but when she went to reach up, she found she couldn't move. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared and she felt nothing again.

"Don't worry, she'll be alright." It was a soft, accented voice that finally pierced whatever fog was keeping her from the rest of the world, and she focused on it, trying to use it to ground herself.

"Are you sure, Papa?" This voice was much younger, and Regina heard fear in it. The motherly instincts in her caused her to fight to open her eyes so that she could console the child.

"I'm sure. She didn't hit the ground very hard and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with her. And look at that; she's waking up now. Step back Roland. Here…behind me."

Regina's eyes fluttered before she finally managed to open them with a small groan.

"Your Majesty," the man greeted in a neutral tone, and she tried to bring his face into focus. From what she could tell, he was a stranger to her; someone she'd never seen in Storybrooke before.

"Who're you?" she mumbled, trying to sit up, but doing it so suddenly that a fresh wave of dizziness knocked her back.

"Careful there. You're already on the ground, but we wouldn't want you losing consciousness again. I have to say, when I imagined meeting the Evil Queen face to face, I never imagined it would be like this."

"Imagined meeting me?" Regina asked in confusion tinged with irritation. She put a hand up to her head to try to steady the rushing feeling and regain her equilibrium. She knew that he was poking fun at her, but honestly, she was still too dizzy to care.

"Well, I've been told about this land. It's a small town where everyone mingles and royals are not separated the way they were in our world. I was bound to run into you at some point."

"Hmm." She braced a hand against the pavement to push herself up and Robin stepped forward, reaching out a hand.

"Here, let me help."

"Sure you want to touch the Evil Queen?" she asked bitterly, ignoring his offer. "You wouldn't want me to poison you or use my magic."

Robin raised his eyebrows in amusement and cocked his head, giving a light shrug. "I suppose I'll have to take my chances."

Regina let out a rush of air through her nose in irritation, but reached for his hand anyway. She didn't want to admit that she was having trouble getting to her feet on her own, and while he was offering anyway, she might as well take the help without having to ask for it.

Regina tried to stand straight, but despite her pride, her body wasn't obeying her commands. She staggered a bit, falling into Robin, who caught her with a hand on each arm.

"Roland," he said, turning his head to look at his son. "Why don't you go in and save us a table, hmm? You can order one of those warm chocolate beverages."

"Okay!" Roland hopped up the steps enthusiastically, immediately distracted by the promise of his new favorite treat.

The door shut behind him and Regina and Robin were left in awkward silence. Realizing she was still leaning on him for support, Regina managed to pull away and hold up her own weight. To break the uncomfortable moment, she said, "Hot chocolate."

Confusion masked Robin's face as he looked at her. He wondered if her fall had caused a head injury. "I'm sorry?"

"Hot chocolate," she repeated, gesturing lazily at the diner behind him. "The drink your son was so excited about. It's called hot chocolate."

"Ah." His mouth remained open, for a moment, his head tilted in curiosity as he studied her. She wasn't at all like what he'd expected. He'd heard many tales of the Evil Queen – had near-miss encounters with her himself, and she'd seemed dark and cruel; definitely someone to be avoided at all costs. Then again, since being in Storybrooke, he'd heard rumors that she'd begun to change. She was still ill-mannered and someone people feared and avoided, but she wasn't the heartlessly evil woman she'd once been.

"What?" Regina snapped as she shifted uncomfortably under the thief's gaze.

"Nothing. Nothing at all, Majesty. Will you be alright getting inside?"

She glared at him in response and he put his hands up in surrender.

"My apologies; I'm only trying to help."

"I don't need your help," she spat, but the universe apparently had a mission to humiliate her. While she'd been standing still, she'd been fine, but as soon as she went to move, the dizziness was back in full force.

"It would appear otherwise," he said, gripping her once more to hold her upright. "Perhaps we should call a doctor. You're obviously not well."

"No!" she shouted quickly.

"You are a stubborn lass, aren't you?"

"Really, I'm fine," she told him, ignoring his comment. "I just haven't eaten anything since this morning and it's having more of an effect on me than usual."

"Do you mean to say you make a habit of malnourishment?"

"No, I just…" she shook her head, thrown off balance by the judgment and bluntness of the stranger. She was unaccustomed to people being so forward with her – or caring at all, for that matter. "As mayor, there's a lot to do in a day. There's not always time for all three meals."

"Mayor…" he said, a question to his voice. She realized there was no such position in the Enchanted Forest. It would be a foreign concept to him.

"It's a role of leadership," she explained. "Someone who makes sure the town runs smoothly." An expression of slight surprise flickered across her face as she realized she was explaining anything to him at all. Or that she was still being held up by him and they hadn't moved at all.

"Well you should never let anything come between you and necessary practices such as eating a decent meal, no matter how important your daily tasks may be. Come along, then. It's time you ate something."

Regina scowled as he slipped an arm around her back, supporting the majority of her weight for her. She wanted to say something to him; bite his head off for his presumptuousness or snap at him for handling a queen in so familiar a way. But she held back. She still needed his help and alienating him now would only mean being trapped outside the diner until someone else came along or Henry or Emma noticed her prolonged absence. That would only lead to further humiliation. Instead, she leaned against him, allowing him to help her and wondering about the strange consideration of a stranger; especially in regards to someone as infamous as herself. She needed a distraction.

"How old is he?" she asked as he began walking them toward the front steps.

"Pardon?"

"Your son. How old?"

"Ah. Roland is…well, five now I suppose, since we're all missing a year."

Regina smiled. "A good age."

"Do you have children?" he asked in surprise. "I mean, aside from the Princess Snow, of course."

"Snow is not my child," Regina said darkly. Clearing her throat, she tilted her head. "We were briefly related by marriage."

"But you've obviously raised a child of your own?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

Regina subconsciously placed a hand to her stomach, thinking how just such a thing would now be happening again soon. "A son," she said quietly, shaking her head and dropping her hand. "He's twelve."

"A son?" This woman was truly a mystery. "And where is he now?"

Regina put her hand up to stop Robin from opening the door and he looked at her curiously.

"It's complicated," she told him. Might as well give him the truth; holding anything back would only lead to more questions from the man, and she'd rather get it over with. He'd find out eventually, anyway. "Actually…right now he's inside," she said, gesturing at the door. "But he doesn't know he's my son."

"I'm afraid I'm a bit lost," he admitted. "You spoke as though you raised the boy yourself, yet he doesn't know of your relation?"

"No, it's not that." She sighed. "His memories were erased – a separate incident from the year we've all lost," she elaborated. "In order to save him from the curse that was supposed to take us all to the Enchanted Forest, I had to send him away with his birth mother. It was the only way to keep him from being left here alone."

"Wait…Henry is your son? Emma's Henry – the one we're supposed to keep everything hidden from? That's your boy?"

Regina gave a short nod and opened her mouth to speak, but just then the door was pulled open, revealing Henry himself.

He took a quick step back, not having expected there to be someone just outside the door, and he looked surprised, but then he caught sight of Robin supporting Regina's weight, and his expression turned to one of concern.

"I was just coming to look for you," he told her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear. Just a bit dizzy."

"Don't worry," Robin told him, finally helping Regina into the diner. "She'll be right as rain in a minute. She just needs some food in her." His smile only widened when he caught Regina's glare out of the corner of his eye.

"Are you her boyfriend?" Henry asked innocently.

Robin's smile faltered and Regina stiffened, but before either of them could protest, Emma interrupted, stepping up behind Henry.

"Regina? What happened? Are you okay?"

Regina sighed. More and more people had turned away from their meals to watch the scene and she was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes.

"Nothing happened – I'm fine. I just need something to eat."

Thankfully, Robin seemed to sense her discomfort and guided her over to a table. Once she was seated and Emma had joined her, people slowly went back to eating, and Regina let out a breath.

"Hey, mom," Henry said, looking over at Emma. "Can I get a milkshake before I go back to the room?"

"No, you're grounded, remember?" she told him, though she didn't sound angry.

"Ugh. Fine. See ya later, Regina."

"Bye, Henry." She gave him a smile and a wave before he disappeared through the back hallway.

"Hey, Robin," Emma called, stopping the man from leaving them. "Maybe you'll want to join us for this?"

Nodding, he glanced over his shoulder. "I will. I'll be right back." He turned back to look at Regina before adding, "I have a hot chocolate to order." And then he gave her a wink.

Regina – too surprised to say anything – watched him stroll cheerfully to the counter.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

Roland wiggled in Robin's arms, so he put him down on his feet. The men gasped in fear when Roland dashed to Regina and several of them darted forward to stop him, but he'd already wound his arms around her legs. "Please don't hurt her, Papa!"

Robin's face was a mask of fear as his eyes darted between his son and the woman he was latched onto. "Roland," he said tightly, inching slowly toward them, "Step away from her."

"No!"

"Roland…You don't know who she is. She—"

"She's the queen, Papa. I know!" he said, his little voice filled with exasperation.

Robin swallowed in surprise. It wasn't even the fact that he knew who this woman was – he'd once seen her in person; it was how calm he seemed about it. The Evil Queen had been a part of many of Roland's nightmares. Running into the queen was topped only by the fear of ogres; an unfortunate result of a few close encounters and too many scary bedtime stories courtesy of his merry men. That he would now be clinging to her in such a way – even defending her – worried him, and he began to wonder what had been done to his son. "What spell did you cast, witch?" he growled at the woman.

She looked up at him in alarm, which quickly turned to anger. "I did nothing!" she spat. Technically that wasn't true, but she'd done nothing to _Roland_, which was the real accusation being made.

"You must have done something to my boy for him to now trust you."

"I saved him," Regina hissed. "Perhaps that's why."

He blinked, but his eyes were narrowing a second later. "Saved him? My son has been missing for nearly a week now, and suddenly he appears with the Evil Queen chasing after him? The queen who cast a curse on the land and disappeared for nearly three decades before mysteriously appearing just in time for this land to be gripped by a new evil?"

"The Wicked Witch," Regina amended, hatred flashing in her eyes. "I assure you I have nothing to do with what she's done."

Robin opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when Roland spoke once more. "It's true, Papa. She had nothing to do with it! She helped me out of the castle and protected me from the scary dungeons."

Letting some of the tension leave his body, Robin sighed deeply. "Come, son," he said, holding out a hand. "We should clean you up and feed you a proper meal.

Roland scowled at the idea of cleaning up, but the promise of food was too tempting to pass up. His arms dropped from Regina's legs, but he hadn't even made it a step before he'd stopped again. "What about Gina?"

Looking up from Roland to see the queen standing stiffly and watching him with feigned disinterest, Robin lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes before addressing his men. "We're stopping here for a while. Let's get off the path a bit – out of sight. We'll be here only long enough for Roland to eat and then move back in the direction from which we came. See that she gets something to eat as well. I'll be back to talk with her once Roland is settled."

The men nodded and Roland reached for his hand. Robin didn't miss the way his son watched the queen over his shoulder as they walked away.

* * *

He found her sitting rigidly on a stump, ankles tied together and hands secured behind her back. "Little John tells me you didn't touch your food."

She jumped at the sound of his voice. Her eyes had been focused on the forest floor and his steps were silent.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to startle you."

"I wasn't hungry," she said icily. Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and her cheeks reddened slightly as her teeth clamped together in irritation.

"It would appear your stomach disagrees with you," Robin told her. He leaned against a tree opposite her, studying her thoughtfully. "My son seems to have taken a liking to you," he said, catching her off guard with the sudden shift in topics.

She didn't say anything – just looked straight ahead, blinking slowly and looking bored. He saw the swirl of thoughts and emotions behind her eyes and wondered why it was she felt the need to keep them sealed up so tightly.

"It's unusual for him. He's very shy."

There was a flicker of surprise and Regina tilted her head up to look at him.

"He doesn't talk much and he's afraid of strangers."

"Well he talked to me," she finally said.

"Yes," he agreed. "And _about_ you. On a first name basis with the Evil Queen, and he hasn't stopped talking about you since you appeared out of the forest this morning. He's told me all about how the two of you were both taken by the witch and put next to each other in the dungeons…also that you told him stories to keep him from being afraid."

Regina raised her shoulders in a light shrug. Apparently she'd made more of an impression on Roland than she'd thought, and the idea warmed her greatly, but she kept it inside. The nagging guilt was overpowering; guilt that she was using Roland as a balm to soothe the aching hole that had been left by Henry and that she seemed to have created a bond that she knew she'd have to break with the young boy.

"What should I do with you?"

His question caused her brow to crease as she looked up at him once more. "Excuse me?" she growled.

"I'm having quite the dilemma. On one hand, you're the Evil Queen and you appeared in the middle of the forest with my boy. Regardless of what either of you says, there is no way for me to know that you aren't lying. You could have kidnapped Roland, held him for a few days, given him false memories and then returned him."

"What possible purpose could that serve?" she asked in irritation.

Although he shrugged a shoulder and raised an eyebrow, he continued speaking as if he hadn't been interrupted. "But on the other, you could be telling the truth, which would mean that we have a common enemy. It wouldn't make this decision any easier, however."

"And what decision would that be?"

"Whether to keep you or let you go. Either way you could be a danger to me and my men."

"I'll make it easy for you. Let me go and I won't kill you."

He gave a humorless chuckle. "I have a feeling that if you were able to, you would have done it by now."

"I could be toying with you. I've been known to do worse."

"Exactly my point. Keep you here, and I may be dooming my men to a terrible fate. Let you go, however, and you could just as easily go running back to the Wicked Witch and tell her everything you know about us."

It was Regina's turn to laugh. "What makes you think a measly band of thieves means anything to her?"

Robin lifted an eyebrow and uncrossed his arms, pushing himself off the tree. In one fluid motion, he'd pulled a knife from his belt and moved to stand right in front of her. In spite of herself, she flinched back, inwardly cursing herself for stubbornly testing his limits beyond their boundaries.

Instead of using the weapon on her, however, he quickly cut through the ropes binding her and she blinked at him in confusion.

"I…don't understand," she said slowly as he slid the knife back into place.

"Well, Your Majesty, I've come to the conclusion that you don't have much of an idea as to what's been happening in this world. Either that or you are, in fact, playing me, in which case I wouldn't have much of a chance anyway, now would I?"

"So you're letting me go?"

"I suppose I'm offering you a choice."

She studied him for a moment, and once she'd decided he was being serious, she let out a sharp laugh. "Don't flatter yourself. As if I would choose to remain here," she scoffed, already turning toward the open woods.

"If you're telling the truth about everything, you should be warned…"

A part of her said not to pay him any mind – just to keep walking and ignore him, not giving him the benefit of thinking she cared what he had to say. But the other part – the more practical side of her – didn't want to chance missing something important. She compromised by pausing her steps but not turning around.

When he didn't speak, she turned her head to the side, not looking back at him, but indicating to him that she was listening.

"These woods are not the woods you remember," he told her. "Things have changed since you were last here. Aside from no longer having your legion of guards to protect you, there are new dangers."

Letting out a deep laugh, Regina turned just enough to make eye contact. "Are you comparing your ragtag band of miscreants to my trained soldiers?"

"I wouldn't venture such a false claim," he assured her. After a pause, he added, "My miscreants are both better mannered and better fighters than any Black Guard we've ever crossed paths with."

Eyes widening at his bluntness, she was almost impressed with the nerve he had to speak ill of both herself and her soldiers. Then again, she was alone and powerless; the one fact which kept her from spinning on her heel and marching straight into the forest.

Losing the humor, Robin's face grew deadly serious as he continued. "The curse you cast caused a disruption that I doubt even you suspected. Without the kingdoms to keep a balance, there was no trade system. People were cut off from one another and the lack of organization began to draw the wrong kind of attention. With no law, dangerous criminals run free, unchecked and unafraid of consequences for their acts of violence. Ogres returned to our lands and there are no armies to drive them away. Wraiths slithered their way into our world, some undiscerning of whether their victims bare the mark. They roam the forests at night, mostly alone, but sometimes in groups. And now with the Wicked Witch in power, she's got her own nightmares crawling the lands when darkness falls." He took one step towards her, locking eyes with her in an effort to convey his sincerity. "Think of me what you will, but heed my advice; these woods should not be traversed alone. I thank the heavens that you and Roland did not run across such creatures and that my son is once again safe and under my watch. If you truly do not possess your magic as you claim, you would have no hope to defend yourself. You must know that I offer you escort despite the conflict it would cause amongst my camp. Do not take it lightly."

Regina swallowed, turning to rake her gaze across the forest for the unseen foe. She wondered if perhaps it wouldn't be better to simply disappear into the night. After all, she had no Henry, no Storybrooke, no happy ending, nothing good in sight. But then, she'd never been one to give up so easily. She was viciously stubborn, often to her own detriment, but one thing had never wavered; not since that night long ago when a shattered young woman had broken past the balcony railing – to this day, she wasn't sure whether or not she'd meant to. Regina was a fighter.

Facing Robin fully, she placed her hands on her hips, resigned to the idea that she was now stuck with the man for the time being. "Everyone carried away by the original curse has been returned to this land. I was separated from my party when that disgusting flying animal snatched me up. You will help me track them," she informed him, "and once I've located and rejoined them, you can take your sad, motley troop and crawl back to whatever patch of dirt and trees you call home." With that, she strode past him, not sparing him a second glance as she headed toward the rest of his men.

Scrubbing a heavy hand down his face, Robin shook his head and groaned. Whatever else was said about the queen, her ego had not been exaggerated; he watched as she marched haughtily into the midst of the very group that had pointed weapons at her not an hour before, arms waving as she condescendingly gave them her orders. Perhaps letting her loose had not been the wisest decision. "Gods," he muttered to himself, seeing the accusing glares of his men leveled at him, "This woman will be the death of me."


End file.
